Serena Williams continues domination of Maria Sharapova with comfortable victory

&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"wpcnt">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"wpa">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<span class&equals;"wpa-about">Advertisements<&sol;span>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"u top&lowbar;amp">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<amp-ad width&equals;"300" height&equals;"265"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; type&equals;"pubmine"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; data-siteid&equals;"111265417"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; data-section&equals;"2">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;amp-ad>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div><p>Serena Williams’ domination of the most one-sided rivalry in tennis continued as the American hammered Maria Sharapova to reach the Australian Open semi-finals&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Williams has not lost to Sharapova since 2004 and she is now unbeaten in 18 matches against the Russian after winning 6-4 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The world number one will now face Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska in the last four and stands two wins away from a record-equalling 22nd grand slam title&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Sharapova has not only failed to beat Williams in recent years she has struggled even to stretch her&comma; winning only three sets during the 18-match losing streak&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The world number five&comma; however&comma; had her chances here&comma; most notably with two break points at the end of the first set&comma; but Williams delivered when it mattered most and it was one-way traffic thereafter&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;It was super intense&comma; she’s an incredibly intense&comma; focused player&comma; she’s won so many grand slams for a reason&comma;” Williams said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;When you’re playing someone like that who is so great you have to play with fire and intensity&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;I’ve been playing this week aggressive and I didn’t start that way so after the first set I just wanted to play the way that got me to the quarter finals&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Williams was not at her blistering best&comma; with her forehand and first serve both well below par&comma; but it is ominous for the rest of the draw that there is still so much more to come&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>On a baking hot day in Melbourne&comma; Sharapova raced out of the blocks&comma; breaking Williams to 15 before holding with an ace to take a 2-0 lead&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Williams was struggling to find her rhythm but Sharapova failed to pull away and instead the American broke back for 2-2 after her opponent’s backhand drifted wide&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Growing into the match&comma; Williams piled the pressure on Sharapova’s serve but the Russian came from 0-40 down in the eighth game to scrape a gutsy hold&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The grunts were getting louder and with the match in the balance at 4-4&comma; two crashing forehand winners&comma; one from each player&comma; were greeted with screeches of celebration&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>A Williams double-fault gifted Sharapova one of two break points but both were saved with booming serves as the top seed held to lead 5-4&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Now it was Sharapova’s turn to feel the heat as a cruel net cord prevented her from sealing the hold and a lengthy game ensued in which Williams carved out four set points&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>She missed three with netted forehands&comma; partially forced by Sharapova’s brave second serve&comma; but the fourth was converted with a cool forehand volley&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Williams called out the physio before the start of the second set but when play resumed it was Sharapova who struggled&comma; as she was broken in the second game and then again in the fourth&comma; with Williams storming into a 5-0 lead&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>There was a late rally as Sharapova held and then had two break points at 5-1&comma; but the comeback lasted only a moment&comma; as a crashing Williams forehand sealed progress in an hour and 32 minutes&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<div style&equals;"padding-bottom&colon;15px&semi;" class&equals;"wordads-tag" data-slot-type&equals;"belowpost">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<div id&equals;"atatags-dynamic-belowpost-68ed97ca3e8d4">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<script type&equals;"text&sol;javascript">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;window&period;getAdSnippetCallback &equals; 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1 COMMENT

  1. Serena is a powerful player and I do not see her retiring soon either. So plenty more wins ahead.

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